The task of assessing and contracting foster parents, usually undertaken by a child protection social worker, is increasingly framed by market arrangements. This article explores, from the perspective of social workers, whether and how this context poses challenges for foster care considerations. Theoretically informed by the sociology of emotions, the following research questions are explored: ho

Hybrid zones present a unique framework to study the genetic basis of reproductive isolation and speciation. The European fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina) and yellow-bellied toad (B. variegata) hybridize in a zone across several thousand kilometres in Central Europe. The Bombina system has been examined for more than a century and its scientific legacy comprises the development of the ultilocus

This article analyses the choice of legal basis for measures under the EU’s digital finance strategy. In this area, a new regulation has recently been introduced concerning markets in crypto-assets (MiCA). The package for a digital finance strategy also includes a Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) as well as a regulation on distributed ledger technology (DLT). All these measures are adopte

This book summarises fundamental methodologies in biological soil and water conservation measures, using the versatile Vetiver grass as a prime example. The material is derived from various student compendia and extension information letters on soil science and soil and water conservation written by Associate Professor Emeritus H. Jonas Åkerman between 1980 and 2000. Over a decade of long-term ass

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a new and rapidly evolving technology in which everything (smart items and smart gadgets) is linked to the internet to allow for efficient communication between these interconnected devices. The Internet of Things is a stimulant for healthcare and plays a critical role in a broad variety of healthcare-monitoring applications. Networked sensor devices, whether worn o

Blockchain technology is emerging as one of the most transformative forces to have ever reshaped supply chain management, with unique transparency, security, and efficiency. This paper reviews the literature on blockchain technology and applications in core industries such as transportation, manufacturing, food and beverages, and healthcare. At its core, blockchain deploys distributed ledger techn

Although India has an extensive healthcare system, there are still significant quality gaps between the country’s rural and urban regions as well as between the country’s public and private healthcare sectors. Despite this, India is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for medical tourists due to the comparatively cheap rates and good quality of its private institutions. Students from o

IoT technology for healthcare is a modern innovation that provides reliable and secure use of available resources for serving the healthcare industry. It not only helps improve contact between the community and public healthcare but also significantly lowers healthcare costs and improves treatment outcomes. This book, IoT-Enabled Healthcare Systems: Applications, Benefits, and Challenges, highligh

There has long been a consensus that healthcare systems play a critical role in enhancing human well-being and contributing to a healthy society. Efforts should be made to promote public awareness and execute necessary measures to improve healthcare. Because of this, a computer-based system is created to allow individuals to self-diagnose their health state based on specified symptoms. This approa

Songbird migration involves frequent migratory flights interrupted by several days of stopover to refuel. For first-year migratory birds, this entails stopping in unfamiliar locations to exploit local resources and maximise fuelling rates. However, stopovers also pose mortality risks due to predator presence. We aimed to determine whether auditory cues from avian predators with differing hunting s

This study presents a detailed investigation of the Velika Vrbica loess-palaeosol sequence, situated in the Wallachian Basin of northeastern Serbia, with the aim to reconstruct palaeoenvironmental changes spanning Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 3 to 1. Using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, low field magnetic susceptibility (χlf), and mass accumulation rates (MARs), we have developed a